A Dark Agreement
by PhoenSims
Summary: After the Enemies of Man save Riario, they want for him to join their group. Riario is wary of this offer at first but when they tell him that they can return his beloved Zita from the dead, that changes everything...


"Get him down." The mysterious man ordered to his associates standing nearby.

Two hooded figures clad in black robes made their way over to Riario and quickly got him released and on his feet.

Once standing, Riario took a moment to survey his surroundings. It was mostly dark, save for dim torchlight that flickered in the space.

It was also cold, the chill going through him, sinking into his bones. What was this place?

The mysterious man studied Riario as if sizing him up and it unnerved him greatly.

The man then turned his back to him and with a wave of his hand, motioned for Riario to follow.

"Come."

Riario was hesitant to do so, but feeling that he had no real choice in the matter began after the man.

They walked along through several corridors in silence, Riario wondering how he had gotten here.

The last thing he remembered was slitting his wrists, feeling the blood begin to pour from them then everything going dark…

Had he truly died as the man had said and come back to life or had they intervened before death could claim him?

But why? For what purpose would they save him? They certainly had to have a plan for him but what that plan was exactly he did not know although, he was sure that whatever it was, it would not be good.

"Is this my punishment God?" Riario thought to himself "for all that I have done? Must I suffer even more before…before…"

Before what? Did he even know anymore? He was stumbling around in darkness, completely blind and there was no light anywhere to be found.

Eventually the two men made it to a large chamber that looked to be a library of some sort judging by the shelves of scrolls and tomes that Riario could see.

As they walked inside, Riario noticed a pattern of symbols on the floor and a pedestal right in the center.

The mysterious man walked over to the pedestal and took from it a green glass orb.

"What..." Riario started "what is it exactly that you want from me?"

The man stared at him briefly then turned his attentions towards the orb in his hands.

"We would like for you to join our organization." He simply said.

"Join you?" Riario asked confused.

"Yes." The man stopped staring at the orb and looked back at Riario.

"Why?"

Approaching Riario once more, the man stopped directly in front of him.

"We have been watching you for quite some time now…seen the things that you have done and we believe that we would benefit greatly from your assistance."

Riario began to feel cold all over. "Benefit how? Who or what are you people exactly?"

The man stepped closer which made Riario take a step back.

"I cannot tell you what we are and what we do unless you join us."

"Why would I agree to join you and the rest of your group? There is nothing that you can do for me."

The man moved away from him then and started to walk around the chamber.

"Is that so? Why do you hesitate, Girolamo? It is not as if you have anything to go back to."

"If I recall correctly, you all but abandoned your position as the Pope's, your father's, captain general, to pursue the Book of Leaves…a pursuit that ended in failure and when you returned, looking for absolution for your sins, you were cruelly cast aside which led you to try and take your own life."

Riario stared at him with wide eyes. "How…how did you?"

The man gave him a cold smile. "As I said before Girolamo, we have been watching you for some time now…we know where you have been, what you have done, everything there is to know about you…we know."

Riario felt himself begin to tremble. This could not possibly be real.

"Perhaps maybe you need an incentive of a personal nature."

The man came close to Riario again, once more invading his personal space.

"I know that you lost someone during your quest for the Book of Leaves…someone you loved deeply."

Riario's heart clenched painfully within his chest. Zita…

The man saw that he had gotten his attention and continued.

"What if I told you that we could bring her back? Return her to your arms?"

"No…" Riario whispered in disbelief. That was impossible…

"Yes."

Riario shook his head and stared at the man. "You cannot…I do not believe you."

The man let out a chuckle in response and then held out the orb he was holding in his hands to him.

"See for yourself."

Riario warily took a couple of steps towards the man and peered into the orb.

The mist within the orb swirled like storm clouds before they shifted and reveled the image of a figure with its back turned.

Then the figure began to slowly turn around and Riario gasped at what he saw.

It was Zita, her hair loose and dressed in a simple white gown.

Riario felt like he could not breathe…his eyes began to water, emotions rising up inside of him.

"Is this…how can you…?" Riario stuttered."

The man stared into the orb.

"We can do many things Girolamo…far beyond the capabilities of ordinary men."

"Has to be a dream…has to be…" Riario muttered to himself.

"Oh this is no dream I assure you and I am not done yet…"

The man then returned to the pedestal and placed the orb back on it. He then hovered his hands over the orb and began chanting in a strange language that Riario did not understand.

The symbols that covered the floor started to glow as he did this, enveloping the chamber in a purple light.

As the man finished, he gestured for Riario to come over.

"Place your hands upon the orb." The man instructed.

Riario eyed both the man and the orb, still unsure about all of this.

"Do not fear Girolamo…It will not hurt you."

Slowly, Riario put his hands on the orb, feeling it pulse beneath his fingers.

Soon as he saw Riario's hands on the orb, the man started to chant again and as he did so, the symbols began to glow even brighter and the orb began to glow as well.

Suddenly, Riario was engulfed in a bright light and he felt as though he was floating.

When the light cleared, Riario found himself alone in what appeared to be a forest with a lake. Birds chirped overhead and the sun shone through the trees, a gentle breeze blowing and moving the leaves.

It all presented such a serene image…where was he now?

"Girolamo."

That voice…no it could not be…

He turned around to face its source and it was her…

"Zita" he breathed out.

She smiled softly at him. "Hello."

As if in a trance, Riario made his way over to her, still not believing what was before his eyes.

When he was in front of her, he fell to his knees and his arms encircled her waist.

"This…I…" Riario choked out, tears streaming down his face.

Zita stroked his hair softly. "Oh Girolamo…"

They stood like that for a while before Riario rose up off his knees and took Zita's face in his hands.

"I cannot believe that it is you." He said quietly, touching his forehead to hers. "I have missed you so much."

Zita brought up one of her hands placed it over the hand on her face. "I have missed you as well."

Her eyes darted to the scars on Riario's wrist and taking his hands from her face, she turned his hands over to inspect them.

"What happened to you?" Zita asked, a sad look crossing her features.

Riario brought his arms back around her and hugged her tightly to him.

"The book…it was not there Zita…in the end, it was not there!" he sobbed "We left that place empty handed and I returned to Rome, to try and set things right…to atone for my sins but I was rejected, told that I deserved nothing and that I would suffer until the day that I die. It was too much, so I tried to take my own life."

Riario looked into her eyes. "Oh Zita…If it were not for that damned book and my obsession with it, then you still would be…"

Zita placed a finger on his lips. "Shh love…it is alright. You had no choice."

Riario held her even tighter. "You were the only good thing to ever happen in my life."

"Girolamo…"

"I love you Zita. I should have told you that before…"

But he did not get a chance to finish his sentence as Zita's lips pressed against his own.

When they broke apart, Zita rested her head on Riario's chest.

"I worry about you Riario…you have been through so much…"

Riario stayed silent, just enjoying the comfort that Zita's presence brought him.

_What if we could bring her back…return her to your arms…_the man words echoed through his mind just then.

Would he, could he really join them just for a chance to be reunited with Zita once again.

He looked down at Zita's head on his chest.

What did he have to lose? Perhaps it was time for him to set off on his own path and now that he had been given a second chance, he would not waste it…especially if meant he could be with Zita.

"I know what I must do now." Riario said, placing his hands on Zita's shoulders and gently pushing her away from his chest. Then he placed a soft kiss upon her forehead.

"We will be together again, I swear it…I ask only that you wait for me until then."

Zita smiled at him. "Always."

They shared another kiss.

Sometime later, Riario found himself back in the chamber, the man close by him, looking at him expectantly.

"Well?" The man asked.

Riario stared at him, a fire burning behind his eyes.

"Tell me what I have to do."


End file.
